pollyjvan9

I want to do some crosshatch quilting on the border of a quilt I am working on, but have never done anything like that before. The border is appliqued - vines, birds, flowers. Do I do the quilting before I stitch the applique down, or do you just do a lot of stopping and starting on the quilting. Would really appreciate some help with this from you people who do such amazing quilting. Thanks, Pollyv9

ckcowl

normally your applique is all done before the quilting process- so when you don't want to stitch over the appliques you stop and start- if you don't mind your applique stitching to shop up on the back- as additional quilting over the cross hatch you could apply them after the cross-hatch--just remember the applique stitching will be on top of the cross=hatching on the back of the quilt-
it is up to you if this is a problem or not.

Prism99

Old quilts were typically done by applying the applique first, then quilting. Hand quilting typically went around the appliques. Machine quilting often went right across the appliques. These days there are no rules and it depends on the end effect you will be satisfied with.

amandasgramma

As Prism99 said, no rules. However, I would applique first (you don't want stitches showing on the back side of a finished quilt. If I got it to do the quilting (longarm), I would do an echo around the appliqueing, then crosshatching out from that point. I do NOT like seeing the appliqueing ruined by someone quilting over it --- I think it detracts from the hard work that was done!

TanyaL

If you are appliquing by hand, then you can cross-hatch first. When you applique, just don't let your stitches go through all the way to the backing. Stop them in the batting, or in the fabric that you are affixing the applique to.

deemail

you don't have to do starting and stopping to make it look like that... you mark a few crosshatch lines and then you quilt UP TO the applique, quilt along the outline of the applique till you get to the next crosshatch line, now go back along that line... they will appear to be continuous when you get all done, but will not be. Now the good news.... even the old fashioned crosshatched quilts were not continuous... the lines are predominantly place on the bias... you CANNOT put long, uninterrupted lines of quilting on the bias because the fabric will stretch, the thread will not and you have a problem. So most older quilters (I'm 66 and my grandmother said 3 feet) quilted in predetermined lengths and knotted and began a new pc pretty often... the crosshatch line, outline to the next crosshatch line and back along it, will work well.... BUT

consider the angle.... I have had the most luck with crosshatching when i looked at my appliques and used a line that seemed to have some relationship to the angle on the applique. Are there leaves or baskets or paisley or bears???? If so, there will be a predominant line here and there and if you use that line and a corresponding one in the opposite direction, it will be enormously more complimentary to the actual applique... appearing to have been designed precisely for your quilt.... which it will have been...

one more thing? buy a yard and a half of clear plastic from the fabric dept at WalMart.... buy dry erase pens.... lay it flat, draw several sets of grids.... or any other quilting stitches and then lay on top of quilt.... do one last area with the 'custom slanted crosshatch'.... it really helps you visualize what the quilting will do for the quilt... i do this on almost every one i make.... i bought a yard and a half because it is 54" wide so you have a large square to work with, big enough to put several designs on and you can slide it around to see different effects.... put colored tape on the edge of ONE side... this keeps you from accidently touching your quilt with the dry erase side...

Daffy Daphne

That's what I did in the border of this QAYG quilt, and it worked out great:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]305403[/ATTACH]

pollyjvan9

Thanks you everyone for your help. I am working on My Tweets by Erin Russek and don't wasnt to mess it up, but also wanted to do something besides just outlining and stippling.

deemail - love your suggestions - definitely going to buy the plastic. I never heard about doing this and can imagine it helping me in so many ways. I also like your idea about doing the crosshatching and outlining at the same time. Thanks a bunch.

Daffy Daphne - your border is wonderful! The border on My Tweets is a vine with birds, flowers and leaves. I want to stipple on the inside half and crosshatch on the outside portion of the border. I have worked on this quilt as a BOM since Jan of last year, and have just started fusing the borders. I only do machine applique. I hope it doesn't take me a year to do this border!

Thanks, again, everyone - Pollyv9

pollyjvan9

Deemail, I tried your plastic sheet idea, however I didn't have the time to get to the fabric store, so I used two 1 gal size baggies, flattened them out, taped them together and laid them on top of the border pattern. It worked great!!! May not be reuseable but it is perfect for this border. Again, thanks for your help.

amandasgramma

GOOD idea pollyjvan9!!!!!